Seahawks Draft Profile: Tyler Allgeier

After starting his college career as a walk-on and a linebacker, Allgeier turned himself into one of the most productive running backs in college football during his time at BYU. Can his physical style of play translate to a steady job in the NFL?

With the 2022 NFL Draft set to kick off in Las Vegas on Thursday, April 28, the Seahawks will have a chance to kickstart a new era for the franchise with eight selections, including a top 10 pick and four picks total in the first three rounds.

Over the next month leading up to draft weekend, the Seahawk Maven writing staff will dish out in-depth profiles on numerous prospects who could be targets on Seattle's big board.

Next up in the series, after a stellar career running through opposing defenses at BYU, could Tyler Allgeier be on Seattle's radar as a future workhorse in the backfield?

Background

The California native came to BYU as a walk-on with no FBS offers. BYU's coaches briefly moved him to linebacker before restoring him to his running back spot ahead of the 2020 season. All he did was turn in back-to-back seasons of over 1,100 yards. He reached a new level in 2021, running wild for 1,601 yards, breaking BYU's single-season rushing record. He added 23 rushing touchdowns. BYU played stiff competition and Allgeier routinely was the main reason why the Cougars went 10-3. His season was punctuated by a performance for the ages against Virginia with 266 rushing yards and five touchdowns. 

Strengths

Allgeier's biggest strength in 2021 was his durability and reliability. He continuously wore down defense after defense with his physical style of play and disregard for personal safety. He got better as the game went along, while the opposing defense tired. 

Nobody will ever be able to question Allgeier's effort on any given play. One singular, viral play fully displays the running back's desire and effort- the DK Metcalf-esque chase-down of an intercepting player. Allgeier took it one step further than Metcalf's play on Budda Baker, jumping on the Arizona State defender's back and punching the ball free, helping BYU recover the ball and retain possession. 

CONTACT BALANCE

Allgeier is a stout runner and can power through contact. He does a good job of keeping his balance and bowling forward in Clip 1. Leg tackles do nothing to him in Clip 2. Clip 3, we see it takes pretty much the entire team to get him down. Lots of plus yardage. pic.twitter.com/pdbZ4aU1gV

— Tyler_FF_ (@Tyler_FF_) March 25, 2022

He displays patience waiting for a hole to open and can also just make one himself by running a defender over. He never shies away from contact and is set on delivering punishment rather than receiving it. He possesses deceptive speed for his larger frame, at 5-foot-11, 224 pounds, often running away from defensive backs once he breaks free of the line of scrimmage for long runs. 

Weaknesses

While he does display an impressive extra gear for someone his size, his speed is far from elite. He posted a 4.60 40-yard dash time at the NFL Combine, which is a far cry from Isaih Pacheco's 4.37 mark. 

His skills in the passing game need work as well. He is not a natural pass-catcher or an elite pass protector. Those tools will need sharpened if he is to be an every-down back in the NFL. 

With decent, but not elite speed or athleticism, he is a strictly north-to-south runner. He won't put many NFL defenders on skates in space with shimmies and juke moves. He prefers to run them over instead.

Fit In Seattle

Rashaad Penny is back in town, at least for one more season. Chris Carson is also set to be a free agent following the 2022 season, leaving the running back room full of question marks in the future. Travis Homer and DeeJay Dallas are also on the roster, but neither have displayed they are fully capable of an every-down role after multiple seasons in the league.

Allgeier possesses the skillset to be a reliable running back near the top of the depth chart. While he could use some work in the passing game, his running style fits perfectly into what Pete Carroll is looking for in the run game. Marshawn Lynch would be proud of how Allgeier runs - with malicious intent. 

Even with Penny and Carson on the team in 2022, neither one has a sparkling history of durability. Carson's neck injury is especially concerning. The Seahawks are one bad play away from needing a young running back to step up and take on a big role in the offense. Allgeier has the physical tools to step in and be a bell-cow kind of back in Shane Waldron's offense and should be available in late day two, early day three of the draft.